Saddleback Republicans to MacLean: Resign Now, RINO!

A good number of the people sitting on the Mission Viejo City Council got their political start back in the '90s by holding positions in the Saddleback Republican Assembly, a chartered unit of the California Republican Assembly that serves Mission Viejo, Lake Forest, Laguna Woods and Laguna Hills. It endorsed Lance MacLean, Mission Viejo's current Mayor Pro Tem, back when he was elected in 2002. Yesterday evening, their board of directors weighed in on the recall drive against MacLean, voting unanimously -- with reported unanimous approval by the Assembly's membership -- to ask MacLean to resign.

Saddleback Republican Assembly carefully and deliberately considered Lance MacLean's candidate statements prior to endorsing him in 2002. SRA finds his performance significantly out of compliance with his campaign promises and written responses to SRA's endorsing body. SRA holds MacLean accountable for his broken promises, failed leadership and abandonment of conservative Republican principles.

MacLean's response is essentially the same as his response to the original recall petition, which was signed by a number of SRA members. "They are using lies, exaggerations and falsehoods on a witch hunt to try and instigate a takeover and achieve their radical agenda," he said over the phone. "The SRA is just a radical element, unfortunately, of this community." He refutes the charges against him by citing the fact that the city maintains healthy reserves, that taxes have not increased in Mission Viejo and that no new housing has been built in the city since the 90s.

The rest of the SRA's resolution, and one last comment from MacLean, after the jump.

WHEREAS, Lance MacLean posed as a fiscal conservative but doubled his council
stipend and bestowed lifetime medical benefits on council members at
taxpayer expense after 12 years of part-time service, and

WHEREAS, Lance MacLean exhibited financial mismanagement by voting for budget
items leading to $11.8-million in deficit spending last year, and

WHEREAS, Lance MacLean falsely promised to relieve traffic congestion but approved
housing projects bringing in more congestion and overcrowding, and

WHEREAS, Lance MacLean said he espoused SRA values but was charged with assault
and battery on a co-worker, and he lied to a reporter to hide his identity, and

WHEREAS, Lance MacLean promised to represent his constituents but turned against
and maligned them, calling them racists and elitists in the L.A. Times, and

WHEREAS, Lance MacLean has fully revealed his true nature as a big-government
bureaucrat who promotes social engineering and supports Redevelopment after denouncing it when he requested SRA's endorsement,

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Mission Viejo Councilman Lance MacLean
employed deception to receive SRA's endorsement in 2002. He should now
resign his elected position on the Mission Viejo City Council to save
taxpayers the time, effort and expense of recalling him.

MacLean also responds to the accusations against him by saying he never acted unilaterally: It took a council majority to approve zone changes, salary increases and medical benefits. He almost takes the vitriol against him as a compliment. "I'm kind of flattered," he says. "They're saying I'm the most powerful guy on the council. Thanks, guys."